#019 - The 90-Day Odyssey: Navigating War, Storms, and the Lessons of our First Container
- renatostivanin
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
Since Day One, we have promised transparency. We hoped to share good deeds occurring at the farm level. Indeed, we were really glad about the partners we brought together to source great coffee at fair prices.
However, our first container has been an odyssey. The last three months reminded us how irrelevant we are when compared to logistics infrastructure.
First, we opted to work with Maersk. It is a leading end-to-end provider of logistics solutions. It is based in Denmark and has a huge presence in Brazil. Our shipment was scheduled to arrive in Rotterdam on March 14. However, that date has been pushed back four times.
The plan was a direct transit from Santos to Rotterdam. However, Maersk highlighted two events that justified a change in plans:
- The war in Iran, which sent shockwaves through global shipping. To ensure vessel safety, carriers initiated a massive rerouting of the Mediterranean fleet. Our container was diverted from its direct path, making unscheduled stops in Morocco before being discharged in Taranto, Italy, on March 18.
- Severe storms in Southern Italy, which caused floods, the suspension of the Adriatic railway and the collapse of key road infrastructure, including the Trigno bridge. Taranto became a bottleneck. Much of the cargo has remained stationary at the port and may take weeks to normalize.
During this period, we even explored the "Land Rescue" - a 22-hour journey in a 1,900 km truck route across Europe to bypass the port congestion. Ultimately, the sea remained the most viable, albeit slow, option. Our expected transit time of 25 days increased to almost 90. The irony: Maersk was selected specifically for its perceived reliability and high environmental standards. These are values that align with our own compliance with the EUDR and our expansion into the Northern European markets to adopt best-in-class sustainability practices.
As some of you know, this is our first container. This delay has been costly. Significant working capital remained locked in a container moving between Taranto and Rotterdam. Our team's full attention turned to solving these logistics issues. Most importantly, we frustrated our clients. We sincerely apologize for this. And we promise to compensate through hard work and attractive new coffees.
It hurt. But we are constantly learning. The exercise was a "stress test" for our team. It forced us to build emergency logistics frameworks that we now have for future disruptions. And we will be much stronger.
Adversity is a brutal but effective teacher. This experience has changed how we handle logistics:
- Diversified Logistics: We will no longer rely on a single carrier. Moving forward, we are diversifying our shipping partnerships to avoid being paralyzed by one company’s systemic issues.
- Increased Safety Stock: We will maintain higher inventory buffers in the Netherlands to ensure that a ship’s detour doesn't result in an empty shelf our clients.
- Enhanced Transparency: We refined our tracking and communication tools to provide you with more immediate, objective data when disruptions occur. Moreover, we developed a better sense of how the food industry operates with scale and urgency.
The coffee is currently on the final leg of its journey. We are monitoring its progress daily and have already pre-cleared as much paperwork as possible to ensure immediate release upon arrival in Rotterdam on May 6th.
For our clients, we immensely appreciate your partnership. After navigating this storm, absorbing costs, and improving our systems to remain a reliable partner, we promise that you will enjoy our value proposition.
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Highlights:
Coffee Futures KC Price in NY: +1.59% weekly, closing at 300.10 cents/lb.
Coffee Price in Brazil's B3 in USD: +1.59% weekly, closing at 396.90 USD per 60kg bag.
BRL/USD fx rate: -0.41% weekly (BRL strengthened slightly from 5.03 to 5.01 per USD).
Proxy of 20' container freight prices from Santos to Rotterdam: Up ~1.9% weekly (based on regional SCFI indices).
Starbucks and Boyu Capital Venture: Starbucks confirmed a significant joint venture in China with Boyu Capital on April 6, 2026, aimed at accelerating digital transformation and expansion in the competitive Chinese market.
StoneX Forecasts Record Global Surplus: On April 8, StoneX projected a record 182.5 million bags for the 2026/27 global production cycle, leading to an estimated 10 million-bag surplus, primarily driven by Brazil’s recovery.
Alshaya Group Strategic Expansion: The Alshaya Group acquired the Starbucks franchise in Greece and Cyprus on April 9, 2026, solidifying its position as a major regional operator in the Mediterranean coffee market.
Lavazza Reports Record Revenues: Lavazza Group reported 2025 revenues reached a record $4.2 billion, citing strong growth in North American and European premium segments.
Blank Street Funding Talks: Rapidly expanding chain Blank Street entered early-stage negotiations on April 9 to raise over $100 million in new capital to fuel further global automation-led store rollouts.
Olam Group Structural Leadership Change: On April 10, Olam Group announced a major leadership transition as it proceeds with the separation of its business into three distinct units, including a standalone coffee and commodities division.
Zus Coffee Operator Eyes IPO: The operator of Zus Coffee announced on April 7 it is exploring an IPO with a target valuation of $1.38 billion, reflecting high investor appetite for tech-integrated coffee chains in Southeast Asia.
International Moka Day Declaration: Bialetti officially declared April 21 as "International Moka Day" on April 10, 2026, launching a global campaign to promote traditional stove-top brewing amid the rise of high-tech espresso machines.
European Green Coffee Stocks Hit Lows: Industry reports on April 10 highlighted that European green coffee stocks have fallen to two-year lows, creating supply tension despite positive long-term harvest forecasts.
Northern Shore Capital M&A: Northern Shore Capital acquired a majority stake in Texas Coffee Partners on April 8, a strategic move aimed at consolidating independent roasters in the U.S. Sun Belt region.
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